Etymology - From the Latin turbinatus meaning top-shaped and the Greek carpos meaning body - a reference to the top-shaped growth of the stems.
Alphabetically, the genus Turbinicarpus is the last of the various cactus from North-Central Mexico that are extremely popular among collectors. Certainly their small size and readiness to flower attribute to their popularity. As is typical of any group of plants that receives a lot of attention from hobbyists and researchers, many names are described for plants with even the slightest difference. This can be either at the level of subspecies or species.
As stated, the plants in this genus have small stems, often growing hidden in the soil in habitat. In cultivation, the plants are often solitary globose stems with distinct tubercles. Spines vary considerably from species to species. Flowers arise from the stem tips and range from white to dark pink.